The son of the Marquis of Yue.
A fine sheen of cold sweat instantly broke out on the forehead of Jin Cheng, a minor leader of the Dark Phoenix Guard and commander of a thousand men.
The Marquis of Yue was one of the southern Feudal Lords, with considerable influence-second only to the Marquis of the South in that region.
The Marquis of Yue had only one son. Clearly, the man before him was not someone he could afford to offend. He would count himself lucky just to get through this unscathed.
Having spent years as an idle street thug, Jin Cheng naturally knew how to read a face. Slick and worldly, he immediately put on an apologetic smile, nodding with every sentence and bowing over and over.
But this supposed son of the Marquis of Yue did not even spare him a proper glance.
Not all members of the Dark Phoenix Guard were idle street thugs, however. Some were newly appointed officers of common birth.
These new officers were young and spirited, their hearts brimming with hot blood.
Just then, a hot-blooded young man who had only recently joined the Dark Phoenix Guard stepped forward indignantly.
Facing the son of the Marquis of Yue, he declared without a trace of fear, "Stop! In broad daylight, beneath a clear and righteous heaven, I will never allow you to oppress the people of Chaoge!"
"I-"
"Shut up!"
Before the young man could finish, Jin Cheng cut him off, his face ashen, and swiftly pulled him behind his back.
But words once spoken were like water spilled from a bowl.
"I am Yue Sheng, son of the Marquis of Yue. What is your name?"
Yue Sheng took a few steps forward and repeated his identity to the young man with evident interest.